November

Brrr, it is certainly getting chilly out there!  As our weather gets colder, our students are working harder than ever.  So far, our students have read over 21,100 books and  95% of our 2^nd-5^th graders are participating in our Accelerated Reader program.   The writing in kindergarten and first grade has improved so much – what fun it is to read the stories in the hallway!  After reviewing recent assessments at every grade level, it is clear that the students are really working on increasing their fluency and accuracy as they read.  I am proud of the work in the classrooms, as students focus on CAFÉ skills in reading (Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency and Expanding vocabulary.)

Our students have also been making great progress with their technology skills and they are applying academic skills through our I-Touches, Smartboards, mini-laptops and our computer lab.  Ask your child what they like best about our technology!

I want to thank our Dad’s Club for their leadership in setting up our Lunch with Dad’s week – it was so great to see so many men on our campus supporting their children!  The Dad’s Club also greeted students as they arrived to school during Spirit Week!  Next, they will be encouraging Dads to come out and read to a class on Dad’s reading day, December 2.

Thanks to all of our parents for their support on our Fall Fundraiser! It has been a huge success and allows us to provide so many programs to our students throughout the year.

Please remember the new Student Assignment Plan Information Session will be held at school on November 28 at 7:00. If you have any questions about the plan, we’ll be here to help!

September

It has been a super start at Willow Springs.  Track one has almost finished their first quarter and will be tracking out and receiving report cards on September 13^th, so please look out for those in grades 2-5.  Teacher conferences have begun, and we encourage you to attend so that you can have an opportunity to find out where your child is excelling and how they can improve in their quest for excellence.  Our teachers will also provide suggestions for ways you can help your child be even more successful.

We have seen some fantastic growth already in our students’ reading.  The Daily 5 activities in many of our classrooms engage our readers in opportunities to read to themselves, read to others, free-write and work with words and expand vocabularies.  I have been very impressed with the students and their determination to work as a team to ensure that the learning environments during reading are optimal for every learner.  Remember, Keep Reading, Keep Growing!!!!

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to another great year at Willow Springs!  Hats off to everyone ~ staff, parents, volunteers and PTA members~ for another successful year in 2011, as we worked together each day to deliver a quality education for all of our children! Your efforts continue to define Willow Springs as a special community of caring, supportive adults who ensure 21^st Century learning within an atmosphere of safety, respect and responsibility.   We are very proud of our students for giving their personal best efforts on their recent NC End of Grade tests! Our growth scores are much higher than the county and state averages, indicating that our children are gaining faster than expected in their skills. This is due to their hard work, your diligence as their parents and the persistence and high quality skills of our teachers.  Everyone here works hard and expects a lot of each other – keep up the good work!

This year, we are focused on increasing our technology integration and continuing to expand our efforts toward differentiation in order to meet the needs of every child.  Teachers have already assessed students to gain a clear picture of their strengths and needs in several areas related to literacy (decoding, fluency, comprehension and vocabulary) and we will be assessing students regularly in each objective in math, to ensure that our instruction matches student needs.  During our Early Release training days, we will continue to focus on teaching to varied learning levels, incorporate higher order thinking skills, and integrating technology.  We will use our students’ data to better help us focus on their needs and modify our instructional plans to ensure success for all students.

What can you do to best help your child?  First and foremost, check work every night – insist that your child read every day and complete his or her homework.  Secondly, communicate with the teacher – our daily folders in K-2 and weekly folders in 3-5 provide a great vehicle for 2-way communication.  Be sure to share any concerns with your child’s teacher in a note, via email or with a phone call and make sure that you come to conferences to find out where your child is excelling and where he or she may need some support.  Finally, we hope you will feel free to come to school as often as you would like – to eat lunch, read to a class, help the teacher in the classroom, and the list goes on!  We want you to be a part of our Willow Springs Family, too!

It’s going to be a great year!